The invention relates generally to X-ray imaging systems and more particularly, to methods for assembling X-ray imaging systems.
Photodiode assemblies are used in an X-ray imaging system to produce an electrical signal representative of an attenuated X-ray beam received at a detector array of the X-ray imaging system. The performance of the photodiode assembly at least partially depends on the operating temperature of the photodiode assembly. At different operating temperatures, the photodiode assembly may produce a different electrical signal corresponding to the same intensity of the incident attenuated X-ray beam. Therefore, it is attempted to keep the photodiode assembly desirably within a narrow temperature range.
In known X-ray imaging systems, photodiode assemblies are attached to metal rails of the detector array as there is thermal conductivity between the photodiode assembly and the metal rails. However, there is a line contact between the photodiode assembly and the known metal rails as the shape of the known metal rail is a smooth arc and the planar face of the photodiode assembly is substantially planar. Further, in some know X-ray imaging systems, a highly compliant thermal material may be used between the photodiode assembly and the known metal rails to facilitate thermal coupling the photodiode assembly to the rail.
Further in known X-ray imaging systems, the detector array is skewed with respect to a focal spot of an X-ray source, to ensure a shadowing effect in an image formed by the known X-ray imaging system. However, the shadowing effect is not uniform because the ends of the skewed detector array are not equidistant from the focal spot.